The present invention relates to positive steering of cargo pallets, containers, or the like; and more particularly, the invention relates to positively changing the travel path of pallets carrying a bulky, overhanging load and being moved, for instance, inside an airplane.
Commercial aircraft are frequently equipped with rather large cargo doors. Accordingly, rather bulky pieces of cargo can readily be passed through such doors. Cargo planes of the "jumbo" variety usually have a very large freight door leading into the area which is otherwise used as a passenger compartment. These doors are so large that one may pass through an entire engine from which only the shroud or other covering has been removed.
Generally speaking, it is, of course, important that the cargo as it is moved about in the aircraft will not damage any structure. This is, of course, true not only for passage of the load through the door, but also for maneuvering inside the aircraft; the cargo must not hit the fuselage frame, at least not hard enough to cause any damage. Conversely, damage to the cargo must also be avoided.
The problem requires some detailed analysis. A piece of freight or cargo will be moved through the door, clearly perpendicular to the plane of the door opening. Inside the plane, the cargo will have to be moved more or less parallel to the transverse axis of the plane up to the area of storage. That is to say, the load has to be turned inside the plane. This may pose problems if the piece of freight is long; it may well pass through the door, but swinging it around inside the plane may be a problem. One cannot rely here on trial and error by the cargo handlers. Also, the long piece should not hit the opposite wall of the aircraft. The same problem, of course, exists during unloading.